(Syllabus) Punjab PSC (Pre) : Combined State Civil Services Exam - Philosophy

Punjab Public Service Commission

SYLLABI FOR THE EXAMINATION PART-B PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

PHILOSOPHY : CODE NO. (11)

Section A : Problems of Philosophy

  • Substance and Attributes : Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley’s criticism, Nyaya- Vaisesika, Buddhist criticism of Pudgala.
  • God, Soul and the World : Thomas Acquinas, St. Augustine, Spinoza, Descartes, Nyaya- Vaisesika, Sankara, Ramanuja.
  • Universals : Realism and Nominalism (Plato, Aristotle, Berkeley’s criticism of abstract ideas, Nyaya-Vaisesika, Buddhism).
  • Bases of Knowledge : Pramanavada in Carvaka, Nyaya-Vaisesika, Buddhism, Advaita Vedanta.
  • Truth and Error : Correspondence Theory, Coherence Theory, Pragmatic Theory; Khyativada (Anyathakhyati, Akhyati, Anirvacaniyakhyati).
  • Matter and Mind : Descartes, Spinoza, Leibnitz, Berkeley.

Section B : Logic

  • Truth and Validity.
  • Classification of sentences : Traditional and Modern.
  • Syllogism : Figures and Moods; Rules of Syllogism (General and special) validation by Venn Diagrammes; Formal Fallacies.
  • Sentential Calculus : Symbolisation; Truth-Functions and their interdefinability; Truth Tables; Formal Proof.

Section C : Ethics

  • Statement of fact and statement of value.
  • Right and Good; Teleology and Deontology.
  • Psychological Hedonism.
  • Utilitarianism (Bentham; J.S. Mill).
  • Kantian Ethics.
  • Problem of the freedom of will.
  • Moral Judgements : Descriptivism, Prescriptivism, Emotivism.
  • Niskamakrama : Sthitaprajna.
  • Jaina Ethics.
  • Four Noble Truths and Eight fold path in Buddhism.
  • Gandhian Ethics : Satya, Ahimsa, Ends and Means.